after 45,000 deaths, a future with assad is inconceivable, and assad is not ready to hand over power, so we have no basis for talks. >> the number of civilian casualty has -- casualty's has risen month after month, and thousands have fled the violence. it was not until november, the syria's opposition formed a coalition led by a moderate islamists. western powers have backed the coalition but have rejected military intervention, and syria's powerful allies on the united nations security council have blocked the push for tougher action against the assad regime. >> the security council was paralyzed because russia and china have rejected a solution. as a result, regional and international actors in syria are pursuing their own interests. that has made the popular uprising both more regional and international and made the whole thing more complicated. >> the chances of a political solution to the syrian conflict seem slim. both sides have put everything on the line to stave off defeat. the outcome of the conflict could be decided on the battlefield, or a military stalemate could prolong